Housing Daytona Beach moves forward with plans to redo properties
- EJP
- Sep 11
- 4 min read
EJP is partnering with Housing Daytona Beach (HDB) and the City of Daytona Beach (CODB) through a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant to reimagine Palmetto Park, Caroline Village, and Walnut Oak public housing sites. Because these properties sit in areas vulnerable to flooding, the planning process required innovative, resilient design strategies. Working closely with residents, community stakeholders, and urban planning architects, EJP helped shape a comprehensive Transformation Plan for the Historic Midtown neighborhood—one that addresses flooding challenges while laying the foundation for a sustainable, mixed-income community where families can prosper.
By Andreas Butler on Sep 2, 2025
Housing Daytona Beach (HDB) is moving forward with plans to redevelop its Palmetto Park, Caroline Village and Walnut Oak properties.
HDB held a Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan Celebration and Meeting the Developers event at the John H. Dickerson Community Center in Daytona on Aug. 21.
The event marks a two-year community driven effort to revitalize the historic Midtown community.
At the meeting, the final plans were displayed to the public, including a video rendering of how the properties will look.
Daytona, Volusia County leaders and residents gave input.
“It has truly been a community effort and collaboration with our partners.
This has actually been in the works for the past three to four years,” said Charles Woodyard, CEO of the Daytona Beach Housing Authority.
Daytona Beach City Commissioner Paula Reed commented, “I am here representing myself. I am a product of Midtown. Midtown means something to us. I can point out those in here that grew up in Midtown. We want to transform historic Midtown. We want to keep the history. Let’s review the plans, get on board and move our community forward.”
Questions about rent and gentrification
Residents got to ask questions following the presentation.
Derrick Harris asked about gentrification, current residents not being able to move back in.
“We’re required to replace all units. Residents will have the first opportunity to move back in. The structure requires income-level rent, not market-based rent. There will also be leftover units for workforce population. We are not forcing gentrification,” responded Woodyard.
Cynthia Slater asked about infrastructure, specifically flooding.
“We have had meetings for the last several months discussing infrastructure.
That is why we are working with government agencies including the city, county and state,” answered Woodyard.
The final plans will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Neighborhood Choice grant, which totals up to $50 million.
The Palmetto Park community would be the first demolished if the Housing Authority gets funding for redevelopment plans. A new housing development is also planned to be on the site. It is just one of several properties the Housing Authority plans to redevelop.
Plans for the units
Plans call for 500 total units to be built south of International Speedway Boulevard with half for low income and half for mixed use.
They will first build on property owned by the Housing Authority on Loomis Avenue where the Volusia County School Board once stood.
Then, Palmetto Park will be demolished with residents moving to Loomis Avenue. A new development will be built at the Palmetto Park site, then Caroline Village will be demolished, and residents will be able to move to the Palmetto Park property. Eventually, the same will happen to Walnut Oaks.
The Caroline Village site will not see new homes. Plans call for recreation use such as baseball, softball and football fields, parks and green space for outdoor activities. Caroline Village floods the worst. It’s been mostly vacant since Hurricane Ian in 2022.
The Housing Authority also has other land available to build on including 6.5 acres on Brentwood at the corner with Derbyshire Road, 3 acres on the Villages at Halifax property and 10 acres at Pine Haven.
Woodyard added, “We are blessed to have property that is vacant available to be developed.”
Again, current residents will be the first to move into the new properties. The remaining space will be for mixed use/ working-class residents such as teachers, firefighters, police officers and nurses.
Woodyard emphasized, “Once again, current residents have first dibs on moving into these properties as long as they are in compliance with their lease.”
Funding resources sought
Construction is expected to be completed in an eight-to-16- year window.
Housing Trust Group, based out of Coconut Grove, is the developer. They are seeking additional funding through public and private entities.
“The level of involvement from the community and city along with the Housing Authority’s willingness to contribute the land makes this special. One of the major hinders in development today is gaining land. We’ll be more competitive and attractive because of this,” commented Bryan Finnie, Senior Vice President of Development for the Housing Trust Group.
“We are looking at local resources both private and public for funding. Florida has an application process basically all year. We will start applying now by November or December this year,’’ he added.
Input on the plans was done by the Housing Authority, city, county, residents, members of the community and community partners.
In connection to the project is an action activity, which connects Palmetto Park to the Dickerson Center with murals on sidewalks and statues in James Huger Park. Local artist Shy Morris is painting the murals.
“The monuments in James Huger Park and those on the murals will honor local leg- ends who lived in these housing developments. The murals run from Palmetto Park to the Mikel Brown Activity Center next to the Dickerson Center.
That is expected to be completed by the end of this year,” said Seletha Bradley, Director of Resident Services & Community Engagement for the Daytona Beach Housing Authority.